Home Waste Control

All modern houses are equipped with wastewater systems that either treat the sewage onsite, as in the case of septic tanks, or transport the waste to off-site civic sewage treatment plants. Most people pay little attention to what happens to water from sinks, showers, washing machines and toilets, unless perhaps they have septic tanks which need regular maintenance. The fact is that the dirt, soap, coffee grounds and other food scraps, grease and bodily waste ends up somewhere and must be removed or broken down before being allowed to re-enter water systems.

Much of the water pollution we see in the world today is caused by unclean water from homes entering the water table in the ground. Bodily waste contains nutrients, including phosphorus and nitrogen, and while one may think that it would be a good thing to fertilise soil naturally, the excess nutrients seep through the soil and enter the water table, which then reaches streams, rivers and coastal waters. There the nutrients promote the growth of aquatic weeds, leading to algal blooms which deplete oxygen supplies to other marine plants and also plants. Many algal blooms are toxic to mammals and fish, and have been known to kill dogs that were taken swimming in affected waters.

This is not to mention bacteria, viruses and other harmful substances that are found in waste water. Bearing in mind that drinking water usually comes from groundwater, the thought of these pathogens seeping into the water table should awaken us to the importance of properly disposing of water.

Septic tanks are still common in many parts of the United States and also rural areas in Australia. On-site treatment of wastewater using septic tanks should be avoided where possible because of the higher risk of leakage. Local sewage treatment plants employ civil engineers and scientists whose job it is to minimise pollution of ground water systems and open waterways. While septic tanks are meant to remove or break down contaminants before their release into the soil, large scale sewage treatment plants are better equipped to test waste for harmful substances and to employ biological and chemical processes to control them. There is no data that definitely links septic tank systems to reported cases of disease, but public health officials in many areas are concerned about inadequate treatment of certain harmful bacteria by poorly maintained septic tank systems. On the other hand, there is a great deal of evidence to show that septic tank systems do contribute to algal blooms in local streams and rivers.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic